Iran slams ‘destabilizing presence’ as US sends B-52 bombers to region
Tehran says it won’t be deterred, vows ‘definite and decisive’ response to Israeli airstrikes, but expresses support for ceasefire efforts in Gaza and Lebanon
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Monday criticized what he called the United States’ “destabilizing presence” after the deployment of B-52 bombers in the region.
“We have always believed that the presence of America in the region is a destabilizing presence,” said Baghaei at a news conference in response to a question about the deployment, adding that it “will not deter [Iran’s] resolve to defend itself.”
The US military announced on Saturday the deployment of heavy B-52 bombers to the Middle East as a warning to Iran, which has vowed to respond to Israeli strikes on its military sites on October 26.
Weeks earlier, the Islamic Republic launched some 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1, sending most of the population rushing to bomb shelters and safe rooms. The assault — Iran’s second direct attack on Israel, after a drone and missile strike in April — caused relatively minor damage to military bases and some residential areas in Israel and killed a Palestinian man in the West Bank.
Iran said its October 1 attack came in retaliation for the killing of Tehran-backed terror leaders and an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander.
At least four soldiers were killed in Israel’s airstrikes, which also caused “limited damage” to a few radar systems, officials said at the time. Iranian media also reported that a civilian had been killed.
Efforts by Iran to downplay the attack faltered as satellite photos and multiple reports in global media showed Israel’s strikes had crippled Iran’s ballistic missile production by destroying at least a dozen solid fuel mixers, and disabled crucial air defenses protecting major energy installations.
Baghaei said Iran’s response would be “definite and decisive.”
He added that Iran supported “all initiatives and efforts” to push for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, where Israel is at war with the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah terror groups, respectively.
On Monday, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran had missiles so Israel “wouldn’t dare attack us.”
During the news conference, Baghaei said Iran’s official position against changing the nuclear doctrine and pursuing atomic weapons remained the same.
Citing a recent speech by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Baghaei said the Islamic Republic would be “equipped with everything necessary to defend” itself.
Iran, which directly attacked Israel with missiles and drones for the first time in April, has been dealing with its own problems at home, as its economy struggles under the weight of international sanctions and it has faced years of widespread, multiple protests.
Iran has long threatened Israel with destruction and called to wipe out the Jewish state.
AP and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
